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A sales representative demonstrates a pot-smoking device at the "Cannabis Academy" in Washington, DC on February 28, 2015. From aspiring "bud tenders" to research scientists and Wall Street analysts, marijuana enthusiasts of every stripe gathered in Washington this weekend, looking for ways to capitalize on America's swiftly changing pot laws. Billions of dollars could be up for grabs in the coming years as states adopt laws allowing either medical marijuana or full-on legalization of the drug -- even though it remains illegal under federal law. In a scene unthinkable 20 years ago, given America's long-standing "war on drugs," dozens of pot industry representatives squeezed into a swish hotel just a few blocks from the United States Capitol building, where the country's laws are passed. AFP PHOTO / THOMAS WATKINSTHOMAS WATKINS/AFP/Getty Images